In order to identify animals, such as cattle and sheep, ear tags have been used with transponders for a number of years. The transponder is usually embedded within the ear tag and whenever the animal is within range of a receiver, the information and identity stored in the transponder can be extracted.
The ear tags incorporating a transponder are currently made in a two part process called “clip and cap”. The mould for the ear tag is made in two parts whereby the transponder is placed in one part of the mould and the second part, being the cap, is placed on top of the enclosed transponder and the two mould parts are welded together. Thus the transponder is welded into the identification tags, generally be one of two types of welding. A set of forks holds the transponder in the encapsulation. Using ultrasonic welding, the set of forks can bend or even break which weakens the hold of the transponders, making them loose within the tag and susceptible such that the transponders can fail. Ultrasonic welding or frictional welding weld polyurethane together and is subject to external shock, bumps and vibrations that makes the transponder vulnerable and therefore the information stored in the transponder can be affected. A lack of sufficient plastics material around the transponder leads to breakage of the transponder using these types of welding.
Other attempts to secure a transponder within an ear tag and to prevent dislodgement therefrom, for example, by cattle or sheep rubbing an ear or body against an object, have also used ultrasonic welding. However this technique has in many cases damaged the transponder and/or not provided an intact and secure seal for the transponder.
The present invention seeks to overcome at least one of the abovementioned disadvantages, including providing a robust animal tag with embedded transponder that withstands harsh treatment by an animal to which the tag is attached. The present invention also seeks to increase protection around the transponder by providing a cartridge or animal tag that substantially prevents internal movement of the transponder with increased rigidity and more material around the transponder.